Circular knitting machine of the independent needle type



Fan, 311, 195G E. v. STIBBE ET AL CIRCULAR KN ITTING MACHINE OF THE INDEPENDENT NEEDLE TYPE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 26, 1947 R mm mm mm mm w 1% 1 WW B i IQYQ 1% H E Q 3L v o .5 Q l m m H A Q l E m I a W O\ Jan 31, 1950 E. V/STIBBE ET AL 2,495,872

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE OF THE INDEPENDENT NEEDLE TYPE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 26, 1947 Ema fl f Bel-25 SmLf/L Jan. 31, 1950 E. v. STIBBE ET AL CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE OF THE INDEPENDENT NEEDLE TYPE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 26, 1947 F/GS.

Inventor Eda/am 5 515549 By 58ft Agent Jan. 31, 1959 E. v. STIBBE EIAL 2,495,872

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE OF THE INDEPENDENT NEEDLE TYPE Filed NOV. 26, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 an ByBBrfSmi/A Agent Jan. 31, 1950 E. v. s'nBaE ETALQ 2,495,872

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE OF THE INDEPENDENT NEEDLE TYPE Filed Nov. 26, 1947 E She'etS-Sheet s WWW/W101 lll entor fidu/drd V Patented Jan. 31, 1950 OFFICE CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHIN E OF THE. INDEPENDENT NEEDLE TYPE Edward Victor Stibbe and Bert Smith, Leicester, England,

Application November 26, 19437, S-erialTNoJlSSRfil) :In Great-Britain December-2,1946

6 Claims.

This invention. relates to circular knitting machines of the independent needle type, and is applicable to multi-feed machines wherein there are adjustable cams in the cam systems for effecting knitting adjustments.

The invention. is intended for application primarily to cam systems which are concerned with the control and operation of the needles and include circular series of adjustable came provided for the purpose of regulation of the length of loops or stitches, for example, to produce knitted fabric of a required quality, or/and as may be required according to the count of the yarn to be used, but the inventionis not necessarily limited in this respect as it may be applied to cam systems for producing movements of other loop forming instruments, or instruments which cooperate with the needles in. loop formation, such, for example, as loop forming sinkers or holdingdown sinkers or web holders, in respect. of which adjustment of cams is requiredfor purposes well knownintheart. Therefore the expression cam systems is used. in a generic sense.

Ina circular knitting machine of the type concerned with a. multiplicity .of .angularly spaced feeds, e. g. of the order 8, '12, 16 or more, for producing tubular web or body fabric, and with an adjustable cam, or cams at or in the region of each feed, individual adjustmentv of the cams, i. e. separately all round the machine, by manual means, occupies considerable time and commensurately holds up production. Where there are two needle beds, or :a cylinder and a dial, orcoaxial cylinders, the number of cams is correspondingly higher, For example, there may be asmany as. 32 cams, comprising knocking-over cams and associatedretaining cams in a sixteen feed machine of the cylinder and dial type adapted to produce interlock fabric. Consequently separate adjustment of the cams in a complete circular series is a slow and laborious procedure since the, cams are. usually attached toscrews adapted. to be turned by a screw driver, or. other suitable hand tool, and a scale or gradnation is provided, in conjunction with an index, for each screw, to which the operator has to work.

The presentinvention comprises an improvement the object of which is to reduce the time and workrequiredfor cam adjustment to a minimum, as will be hereinafter described.

Accordingly the invention comprises, in a multi-feed. circular knitting, machine, the combination with a cam system including anumber ofladj'ustable cams, asa'foresaid, of mechanism adapted forv effecting multiple, adjustments simultaneously,

A particular illustrative embodiment of the inventionapplied to the dial cam systems of a machine of the cylinder and dial type adapted to produce interlock fabric, will now be described with referencev to the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Figure -1 is a vertical-sectional view of so much of the head of the said machine, showing more particularly the inner and outer dials and the associated dial: cam cap, as is necessary .to illustrate the application of the invention thereto,

Figure is an underside plan view-of a few of the adjoining dial camcap sections, showing adjustable knocking-over .cams and associated adjustable retaining cams of the inner and outer dial cam systems.

Figure 3 is-ageneral perspective View of one of thesaid dial camcap sections, as .viewed from theunderside. thereof, showing more clearly the mannerinwhich.therknocking-over cams andthe associated retaining cams of the twosystems are adjusted,

Figures. 4,5, '6,and Tare detail underside perspective: views illustratingthe adjustable slides to which the said cams are attached,

Figure 8 is. a sectional View of. a removable door section of the dial .cam cap shown in its relation .to a main adjusting ,pinion hereinafter tovbe described,

Figure 9 .is a detail plan view of portions of the dials, with the door section of the dial cam cap removed to show the adjusting pinion in mesh with an annular indexing gear or toothed ring by means .of which and pinions on the adjustable cam. slides thelatter are geared together,

Figure 10 is aperspective View of the main adjusting pinion and a fragmentaryportion of the indexing gearor toothed ring,

Figure 1-1 v is aplan view of a portion-of the said gear or ring, and

Figures-1 2 and 13 are two detail, part-sectional views showing alternative'forms of friction spring means for preventing the cam slide pinions from over-running.

Like parts are designated by similar reference characters throughout the drawings.

Referring tolFigure 1, it will be seen that the sections S. of the dial cam cap I are attached, by means of screws 2, to a central dial cap hub 3" by which the entire cap is rigidl secured to a fixed central column '(not shown). The reference numeral '4 indicates the rotary dial carrier plate which is centrally bossed at 5 and recessed to receive an outer dial slotted to receive inserted trick wall elements such as I, and a radially tricked inner dial 8, the said two dials being adapted to receive two respectively difierent and independently operable sets of dial needles as is conventional practice in a cylinder and dial machine of the interlock type. The periphery of the dial cam cap is recessed to receive a dial needle guard 9, and each of the sections S has attached thereto a feeder bracket iii. The l.

particular machine illustrated is an 8-feeder machine, so that the dial cam cap I comprises eight of the adjoining sections S and also a smaller and removable door section S An inverted plan view of a few of the said sections, including the door section S is shown in Figure 2. As depicted in Figure 8 the door section is secured to the hub 3 by a thumb screw II and is furnished with a milled knob [2 to facilitate its removal and insertion. The rotary needle cylinder of the machine is indicated in dot-and-dash lines at I 3 in Figure l, the cylinder cam box being shown at [4 and one of the cam posts at l5.

Each section S of the dial cam cap I carries on its lower face a knocking-over cam !6, a companion guard cam 11 and a retaining cam l8 incorporated in the outer dial cam system for action on the butts of dial needles accommo dated in the outer dial 6, and a knocking-over cam IS, a guard cam and a retaining cam 2i incorporated in the inner dial cam system for similar action on the butts of dial needles in the inner dial 8. In accordance with the present invention the various cams just specified ar attached to longitudinally movable slides 22 which 3 are mounted for adjustment radially inwards and outwards within guide channels 23 cut in the underside of the sections S, and are furnished with radially disposed adjusting screws 24 to the inner ends of which are secured pinions 25 arranged in mesh with an annular indexing gear or toothed ring 25. The undersides of the adjustable cam slides 22 are longitudinally channelled at 2'! to receive complementarily shaped ribs 28 formed on the cams accurately to locate the latter laterally with respect to the said slides. If desired, certain of the fixed dial cams adjoining the radially adjustable knocking-over, guard and retaining cams may, where convenient, be

formed with such ribs in which instance the last mentioned ribs would also assist in guiding the opposed relatively movable slides during radial adjustments thereof. The inner end of each ad justable cam slide 22 is formed with a lateral lug 29 which is tapped to receive the corresponding adjusting screw 24. The leading end of each such screw, i. e. the end thereof remote from the relevant pinion 25, is arranged to make contact with a portion of the dial cam cap as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3. Each cam slide 22 is controlled by a compression spring 30 which, as shown in Figure l, is interposed between the back of an upstanding projection 3| provided on the top of the slide and the opposed wall a suitably recessed portion 32 of the dial cam cap formed to accommodate the spring. By reason of this construction, the slides 22 are urged outwardly so that the leading ends of the adjusting screws 24 are maintained permanently in contact with the dial cam cap. In Figure 3 a portion of the dial cam cap section shown is broken away to reveal one of the springs 30. If, therefore, tthe pinions 25 are simultaneously rotated by turning the annular indexing gear or toothed ring 26, in either direction, the entire circular series of adjusting screws 24 will be turned within the aforesaid tapped lugs 29 with the result that all of the cam slides 22 will be longitudinally moved, either radially inwards or outwards, to eifect corresponding inward or outward adjustments of all of the aforementioned adjustable dial cams simultaneously. For the sake of simplicity and convenience in illustration, the adjustin screws and pinions on one only of the dial cam cap sections S have been shown in Figure 2. As will be appreciated from the foregoing description at least some of the adjustable cam slides 22 will be supported and held up within the guid channels 23 by fixed dial cams attached to the underside of the dial cam cap: but in cases where there are insufficient or even no fixed cams underlying a cam slide, then that slide may be retained in its guide channel 23 by a retaining screw, such as 33 (see the right-hand side of Figure 1) which is screwed into a tapped hole formed to receive it in the upstanding projection 31 on the top of th slide. The limit of the outward movements of the adjustable cam slides is determined by the sectional dial needle guard 9.

With regard to the annular indexing gear or toothed ring 26, this is freely mounted for turnin movement within a circumferential recess 34 formed beneath and at the periphery of the dial cap hub 3 and is held up in position by a retaining ring 35 attached to the lower face of the said hub by means of screws 36. The upper surface of the gear or toothed ring 26 is cut with teeth 2'6 for meshing with the pinions 25 and also with a main adjusting pinion 31 by means of which latter the said gear or toothed ring is turned one way or the other. To enable this to be done, the pinion 3'! is fitted with an adjusting nut 38 or an equivalent single member for manual operation. For example, in lieu of a single member formed with flats for reception of a spanner, a wheel or knob may be adopted, this being milled or knurled for engagement directly by hand, or formed with holes to receive a tommy bar. In any event, the nut 38 or other single member is normally covered by the removable door section S of the dial cam cap which is cut away at 39 (see Figures 2 and 8) to clear it. The pinion 31 and the associated nut 38 are mounted for rotation upon a plain portion of a screw which is screwed into the hub 3 as shown in Fi ure 8.

As shown in Figure 11, a relevant portion of the indexing gear or toothed ring 25 has formed therein an endmilled recess 40, the bottom of which is graduated and stamped or otherwise marked with numbers accurately disposed in relation to the roots of the teeth 26 When turning the gear or toothed ring 26 these numbers are used, in relation to a zero mark or index 4| made on a part of the dial cap hub 3. This part is recessed, as shown at 42 in Figures 9 and 10, to reveal a few, e. g. three, only of the numbers. Numbers to the right of the zero mark are used to give an on adjustment Whilst those to the left of the said mark give an off adjustment, it bein understood that the numbers bear a relation to and indicate predetermined degrees of adjustment of the cams. Thus, to effect simultaneous adjustment of all of the dial cams concerned, the thumb screw H is first taken out, to permit removal of the door section S by means of the milled knob l2, whereupon the main adjusting pinion 31 is turned by the application of a spanner to the associated nut 38 so as to eflect a answerer turning' movement' tothe desired extent-wattle indexing gear or toothed ring-2f6 .lo'yiwhicli and thie i pinions-25 the"-a;d'justing-screws 24 are geared t'ogetl'feraspreviously explaiiredfi Toi-prevent thwpihi-nonsZS frommVer-run'riing or tending to move When not required to do so;

friction spring 'or equivalent*means=are-arranged posedpi-nions 25E The pinions of each successive pairthroughout" the circular-series are similarly controlled'xbyga'; doublet-ended blade" spring? alternative and more. simple: form of friction spring is shown atddinFigurelB.

It will be noted-thateach loiltheaforementioned guard cams is adjustable radially in company with'its associated:knockingeover cam; To enable this result to be achieved each guard cam is. rigidly attachedto :thBvSildBcZZ ta-which the corresponding knocking-over cam is attached, so that at all times and even upon-adjustment of the slide the two cams-will bear the 'same relatiorr'to each other; This isan' importantfeature'andin contradistinction to customary'practice in which',

upon adjustment'of a-k-nocking-ever cameth'eas sociation guard cam remains relatively stationary. By adjusting both of such cams in company the butts of dial needles which are retracted at a knocking-over point are immediately and positively restored to the non-knitting track, thereby preventing the production of lines and other undesired effects in the fabric. Thus, needle butts acted upon by a cam IE will be positively restored by the cam l! to the non-knitting track 45 (Figure 2), whilst butts acted upon by a cam M) will be similarly restored by the associated cam 20 to the non-knitting track 41.

An embodiment of the invention similar to that described may alternatively be applied to the cylinder cam system, or both to the dial cam system and the cylinder cam system of a machine of the cylinder and dial type adapted to produce interlock fabric. With a cylinder cam system an externally toothed ring may be located in a vertical recess in the inner face of the cam box or shell, and the adjusting screws may be mounted vertically in the box or shell with their pinions disposed horizontally in engagement with the external teeth of the ring, for vertical adjustment of the cams. In either arrangement an index for use in conjunction with the teeth or graduations on the gear or the ring, as already described is provided adjacent to the master adjusting unit, or an independent scale with an index may be adopted, to facilitate adjustment of the cams to the required degree.

As will be appreciated, by suitable modification as to arrangement of the parts a similar embodiment of the invention may be applied to a cam system for controllin and operating sinkers, web holding sinkers or other yarn engaging instruments co-operative with needles in loop formation.

In addition to obviating the disadvantage here inbefore mentioned, the invention is advantageous in that the possibility of inequalities attendant upon individual adjustment of cams and corresponding variations in the quality of the knitted fabric is practically eliminated.

Iiisteadiof serews-.-' interconnected by means,of pinions and a* common annular gear rstoothedj ring-'3 interconnectingltmeansg such asaleversi: and-i. linksor fiexi'bl'e members, e.-g.' of 'theiBowdemwiree type;- connected to a common operatingmemberzr may b'e'employedi- When; as may begthecamsysetems include-pivotal cams, toothed'ssegments'may be substituted for: screws; or the cams 'may' be attached respectively to levers; and linkage: or"- flexible-members 'connectedto a common operate ing -memb'er maybe adopted' foreffectin adiust merits:

If desired; the collective adj ustment of the se lectedcams may be errected "automatically; at-iaz required: time; operationfrom a convene lent power driven member of: the machine, e; g. on the control shaft, or" from the. timing: chain through appropriateintermediate connections Wh'ilatheinvention is applicable: primarily: tomulti fed' 'circular knitting machines of the cyl inde'r and dial typefor producinginterlock fab ric; and employing' numerous adjustable cams in the knitting- 0am" systems, it" may be applied to machines ofth'e same 'type for producing ordinary rib fabric; to multi-feed circular plain k nitting machines, and to multi feed ma'chines of-the 'double-axially pposedneedle cylinder type; for-"example; those equipped with'superimposed needle" cylinders and double end'ed' needles operatedthrough the" medium of sliders; all of "which ma"-- chines are adapted 'for producing body fabric: for" manufacture subsequently into articles of clothing, or for producing body garments or garment lengths. The invention is also capable of application to smaller multi-feed machines for producing stockings and like articles, wherein cam adjustment to give definite, or variations in, stitch length may be a desideratum.

It will be appreciated that in some circular knitting machines the cam systems act directly on the needles and co-operative elements, if pro vided, Whereas in others the cam systems act through the medium of jacks, to produce the knitting movements, and that the invention accordingly is applicable to both cases.

What we claim then is:

1. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a series of independent loop forming instruments, a multiplicity of angularly spaced feeds, a cam system including at least one adjustable cam at each of said feeds for effecting movements of the said loop forming instruments, members to which said cams are attached, screws for adjusting the said members, pinions on the screws, a common annular indexing gear with which the said pinions are arranged in mesh, and means for turning the said indexing gear and thereby effecting simultaneous adjustment of the aforesaid cams.

2. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a series of independent loop forming instruments, a multiplicity of angularly spaced feeds, a cam system including at least one adjustable cam at each of said feeds for effecting movements of the said loop forming instruments, members to which said cams are attached, screws for adjusting the said members, pinions on the screws, a common annular indexing gear with which the said pinions are arranged in mesh, and, for turning the said indexing gear, a master pinion which is fitted with a single member for manual operation, for the purpose herein described.

3. A combination according to claim 2, wherein the master pinion is combined with an adjusting 7 nut having flats for reception of a spanner.

4. In a circular knitting machine, in combina tion, a series of independent loop forming instruments, a multiplicity of angularly spaced feeds, a cam system including at least one adjustable cam at each of said feeds for effecting movements of the said loop forming instruments, members to which said cams are attached, screws for adjusting the said members, pinions on the screws, a common annular indeXing gear with which the said pinions are arranged in mesh, means for turning the said indexing gear and thereby effecting simultaneous adjustment of the aforesaid cams, and an index for use in conjunction with the teeth of the indexing gear to facilitate adjustment of the cams to the required degree.

. 5. In a circular knitting machine of the cylinder and dial type adapted to produce interlock fabric, in combination, a dial, two sets of dial needles in said dial, a multiplicity of angularly spaced feeds, inner and outer dial cam systems each including knocking-over cams and associated retaining cams at the respective feeds for effecting movements of the dial needles, springcontrollecl adjustable slides to which the said cams are attached, adjusting screws on the slides, pinions secured to the said screws, a common annular indexing gear with which the pinions are arranged in mesh, and a master adjusting pinion which is also arranged in mesh with the gear and fitted with a single member for manual operation, the construction and arrangement being such that operation of the said means effects collective adjustment of the cams.

6;.[In a circular knitting machine, in comb tion', a series of independent loop forming instruments, a multiplicity of angularly spaced feeds, a cam system including at least one adjustable cam at each of said feeds for effecting movements of the said loop forming instruments, springcontrolled adjustable slides to which the said cams are attached, adjusting screws on the slides, pinions secured to the said screws, a common annular indexing gear with which the pinions are arranged in mesh, and a master adjusting pinion which is also arranged in mesh with the gear and fitted with a single member for manual operation, the construction and arrangement being such that operation of the said means effects collective adjustment of the cams.

V EDWARD VICTOR S'IIBBE. BERT SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file? of this patent: 

